E-Enduro Beginner Guide

Is Enduro right for me?

Anyone who is unsure whether an enduro or an all-mountain bike is suitable as a new bike should be aware of their motives and bike preferences in advance. An enduro bike is just the right thing for mountain bikers who ...

have fun with speed and enjoy technical descents.
want to ride or learn to ride their bike on very rough, blocky or steep terrain with challenging root passages and stone fields.
enjoy technical bike passages and like to face challenges such as rocky ledges, smaller jumps, steep ascents and descents.
also want to ride more challenging downhills smoothly and with speed.
like to "pedal" their descents themselves and for the altitude meters are just as much a part of the tour as the depth meters. belong to the tour as much as the downhill meters.
are always looking for new challenges in the terrain and want to master them through an optimal choice of lines.

What kind of equipment do I need?

The Bike

What distinguishes a good E-Enduro, we have described in detail in our comparison between All Mountain and Enduro eMTBs. In summary, the essential features of a good enduro bike are: a cleanly working chassis with a suspension travel of 150-170 mm, a flatter geometry designed for speed, a tire that rolls properly on the one hand, but also brings a lot of traction and directional stability and a total weight as low as possible.

The R.E375 is with its progressive geometry is a real trail weapon.

Protectors & Co

Anyone who wants to get into enduro biking should not skimp on functional protectors. A back protector is an absolute must. Models that are worn as a vest and thus slip less while riding promise pleasant wearing comfort. In addition, many manufacturers also offer biker backpacks with integrated back protectors. ROTWILD PR, Marketing & E-commerce manager Jonathan Zimmermann used to ride enduro races himself and recommends, "I always advise beginners to ride without a backpack if possible. The greater freedom of movement helps enormously and often bikers tend to overload the backpack."

In addition to the back, elbows and knees must also be protected from injuries caused by falls. Jonathan has a practical tip for this: "I prefer protectors with foam padding. Knee protectors with hard shells can restrict freedom of movement and it's also not so good to pedal uphill with them."

As a beginner enduro rider, you won't be able to avoid crashes. A lightweight full-face helmet offers the head optimum protection, but can also restrict the field of vision somewhat. Alternatively, a half-shell helmet that is cut lower at the back of the head and on the sides is a good choice. To protect the eyes from dirt and dust, the bike glasses should have the largest possible lenses and also fit tightly at the sides. Optimal protection and always clear view offer goggles with a large field of view. When choosing gloves, models with long fingers are recommended. As a beginner enduro rider often suffers bike defects at the beginning due to riding errors, a multitool, an air pump and a spare tube should always be taken along on tour.

Important: Only when you have become accustomed to the new bike, it goes into the steeper terrain.

Driving technique - this is what you should master

The be-all and end-all is solid control of the bike. How does it react during braking maneuvers, when does it slip, how does it behave in a curve? You first practice these basics with the new bike on easy trails. You also have to be able to adjust your speed at all times. Knowledge of the bike's braking behavior is also enormously helpful for this. It is equally important to be able to control your bike on different surfaces such as stone passages, roots, loose and hard earth. Riding over obstacles and small bunny hops are also part of an enduro biker's repertoire.

Physical fitness, good body tension and enduring thighs are essential requirements for enduro biking. Downhill biking involves almost constant standing and without strong leg muscles, the fun is short-lived. Beginners often make the mistake of using up too much energy in the uphill on longer enduro tours and then start the downhill completely flat. A good basic endurance and clever management of physical reserves must be learned.

If you want to get better, you have to test your personal limits.

How can I improve my driving technique?

It sounds banal, but the most important thing is to spend as much time as possible on the bike. If you often ride with friends who are already better and faster, you can pick up a few tricks from them. You should also never be too proud to ask better riders for their tips on certain key spots or your own insecurities. Also helpful is to look at other bikers on the track to analyze their technique. In addition, professional riding technique training, as offered by many bike stores and schools, is a good way to acquire the basic skills for enduro biking.

In cooperation with Trailtouch, we have created a series of video tutorials: eMTB riding technique video tutorials

Whichever path you choose, it is crucial to gradually gain more driving confidence. Jonathan has the following tips for this:

Increasing speed on the home trail: If you want to get better, you have to ride at the limit sometimes. This is the only way to get a feeling for where your personal limits lie and what you can still do on unfamiliar trails before it becomes dangerous.
Train technical parts individually: Root carpets, blocked passages, steps, tight turns. The more often you repeat these challenges, the more confident you will feel.
Vary the line choice on different curves: Only by trying out different lines can you tell what makes you faster and which cornering technique makes you feel safer.

The more varied the practice areas are, the better prepared you are for technical challenges in unfamiliar terrain. As is often the case in life, Enduro biking is no exception: Practice makes perfect, because with routine increases the driving safety and thus the fun on the bike.